A/N: Sorry it's later today, but it's a holiday and I'm off visiting family... But, it's better late than never right?

BIG HUGE Thanks and TONS of LOVE to my beta girls- Ninmesarra and Pretty flour. Thanks for all the hard work you guys put in- any mistakes left, are probably beause I changed something in last minute tinkering...

No infringement intended... Characters belong to SM...

~*HR*~

The couple was silent as they walked through the lightly wooded forest just outside the keep's walls. Rosalie was taking him to her favorite meadow- a spot that was full of wild flowers. She'd found it by accident a few days prior.

Thoughts running through Rose's mind kept her from focusing well enough on the terrain around her. Catching her foot in a tree root, she pitched forward. Intending to brace herself for the fall, she was surprised to feel herself hauled backwards and upright against a solid chest. Her breathing was ragged, and she tried to force it to slow. Her eyes shut as she leaned into Emmett's steady strength. "Thank ye," she whispered.

"Dinnae think of it. I like saving wee damsel's," he whispered into her ear. Placing her feet firmly back on the ground, he was a bit surprised when she grabbed his hand and led him on beneath the canopy of trees.

When they finally emerged into a small clearing, his eyes swept over it, taking note of the quiet beauty that surrounded him as he checked for danger. Content that they were safe, his eyes met Rosalie's. "Why did ye run from me, lass?" he quietly inquired.

Her sigh disrupted the stillness of the air as he waited for her response. Her eyes filled with tears and she furiously blinked them back. "I… I dinnae want to leave… Cullshire was- is my home…Ye and yours are my family. But I could nae risk placing ye're lives in danger. I could nae bear it if… if something happened to ye all because of me," Her eyes were roaming over the meadow and she bent to pick a daisy up. She began to quietly pick the petals off of it.

"Rose, look at me please." When she didn't, Emmett took a step closer to her. He lifted her tear-streaked face to his with a finger under her chin. "Rosie, naught will happen to us anytime soon. We have many allies that are ready to fight with us and for us. Nay just the Piersons, but also the Swanninghams, and the king's own armies as Bella is his favorite niece, the Douglas's and Stewarts as well, just to name a few. And ye must nay forget ye're own allies now." Her furrowed brow caused him to continue, "Ye ken that ye're sister and her husband would protect ye if they could and so they, too, are ye're allies, lass. Ye are nay alone anymore." He wiped the lingering tears from her cheeks and walked a little further into the meadow. He sunk down onto his knees and waited for her to speak.

"I ne'er thought about having my own allies. But, Emmett, I can nae put ye at risk. I can nae lose another person I love-" she stopped in the midst of her declaration. She stood rooted to the spot as she closed her eyes in agony again. I love him? I love him. When did that happen? I can nae love him. I can nae do it again.

Emmett was speaking to her, but his words were making no sense at that moment. Her mind was overflowing with thoughts and memories. She could picture her mother and father tucking her in and telling her they loved her before they met their fateful end. Her husband caressing her cheek as he looked deep into her eyes and confessed his love for her. She could see herself rocking the cradle with her tiny son sleeping as she whispered again, "I love you." All the people that she'd ever loved or that had loved her in return, with the exception of Katie, had died.

"Emmett, nay!" Rose exclaimed, shocking him into silence with her outburst. "Ye can nae love me. I can nae love ye. It will nae end weel for ye. I can nae do it again."

"Rosie Posie, please. Just trust in me. Trust that I will keep us safe. Trust that I will be able to protect us both. I love ye too, Rosie-Mine. I dinnae want to return without ye. I'll follow ye to the ends of the earth if I must, to prove it to ye. I'll crawl across the lands and beg ye, if it will help. I can nae be without ye. Ye are my heart now." His eyes pleaded with her to understand and to trust him.

She covered her face with her hands and wept. She crumpled to the ground, and he sat beside her and gathered her to him. He rubbed soothing circles into her back and tried to get her to relax. "Please dinnae cry anymore, love," he whispered. She glanced up at him and he reached out his hand to caress the scratches on her cheek. "What happened here? Do I need to hurt someone?"

She sighed and admitted, "I did it. And I cut my hair off. It was much worse when we arrived here. Katie managed to fix it for me."

He lifted the shoulder length honeyed locks from her neck and let them sift through his fingers. His fingertip lightly traced the three slashes on her cheek. "Why?"

"I can nae be beautiful anymore. I dinnae want this curse of beauty. I dinnae ask for it. Why me Emmett? Why?" she sobbed her frustrations out.

"Well, I do ken that ye are most assuredly beautiful, but e'en if ye were the most wrinkled old woman around, I would still think ye beautiful Rosie. Because I love ye. As for the others- ye are nae responsible for the evils of the men that harmed ye and took ye're family from ye. I wish I kenned why God allowed such evil to live, but I dinnae and it makes me angry. Ye are nae to blame. Ye are nae responsible for it. I'll tell it to ye every day if I must, until ye finally believe me."

She leaned her head against his strong chest and let the tears flow once more. When she'd finally cried them all out, and there was nothing left inside, she returned her gaze to his. Her whisper barely reached his ear, "I'll try."

Grabbing her in a fierce hug, he dragged her into his lap. His lips descended on hers in what he intended to be a passionate kiss. She stiffened though and he lifted his head. "I'll nay do anything ye dinnae want me to, Rose. All ye have to do is say to stop and I will. I dinnae want ye to be afraid of me. I love ye. May I kiss ye?" She nibbled at her lip in thought before nodding. Not wanting to spook her, he asked, "Are ye certain?"

In answer, she leaned up and pressed her mouth firmly to his. He stroked one hand along her jaw, curved it around to the back of her head and entangled it in her short strands. The other hand trailed down her side and around to her back, anchoring her firmly against him. Her own hands delved into his hair to scratch lightly at his scalp. He slanted his lips over hers opening slightly. His breath was completely stolen from him when she mimicked the gesture and traced his bottom lip with her tongue. He let his dance with hers until she pulled back, panting and gasping for air. He cuddled her closer to him, trying not to allow her to feel the way she affected him.

"What now, Emmett?" she asked quietly.

"Weel, I'd love it verra much if ye'd agree to be my wife, but e'en if ye will nae yet, I will be content to just be with ye, talk with ye, however ye care to be. I love ye lass, and I'll wait my life for ye if I must."

She gazed into his eyes and found only love and sincerity in their depths. There was no ulterior motive, no desire to wound, possess, or dominate her. She believed he only wanted to love her. Her breath hitched in her throat. Could she do it? Could she let herself love and be loved again? It scared her to death to even contemplate losing another that she loved more than life. She wanted to trust him when he said he'd keep them safe, but Ewan had said that, too. But Emmett isn't Ewan, her heart cried. Nay, he isn't. He's stronger. And we do have many an ally now. May haps I can do this. Her mind began to agree with her heart at long last. That didn't stop her fear, but she placed it in the back of her mind to sort through later. At this moment, she wanted to enjoy her time with Emmett- for however long it lasted.

Standing, she held her hand out to him. He stood and took her dainty hand in his own large one, marveling at how delicate she was. He began to lead her back to the keep. When they reached the edge of the forest, he stopped and turned to face her. "Does this mean ye'll come back to Cullshire with me? Or will I be traipsing across the countryside again, searching for my heart, lass?"

She giggled at his dramatic antics, but replied seriously, "I'll go with ye, but only on one condition."

He raised his eyebrow, encouraging her to continue on. When she hesitated, he reminded her, "I'd do anything I can to make ye happy lass. Ye dinnae have to fear asking me anything."

"I'd like to go back with Katie and meet the rest of her family before we return. I have many questions still to ask her and I ken I still have issues to work through Emmett. But I promise ye, I'll try. I love ye, too, and that's the part that scares me most."

He sighed, knowing it would take her time to work it all out for herself, and pulled her to him again. He placed a chaste kiss on her lips and tucked her into his side for the remainder of their walk to the castle.

~*HR*~

Sorry it's kind of short! But, Chapter 12 has already been sent off to my lovely beta girls... Should be able to post next week, like normal :)

Leave some love... or hate, whichever makes you feel good- I just want to know what you think!